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Life Lessons for School Success
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Back to School Edition 2016
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Life Lessons for School Success

As the summer winds down and students prepare to return to school, I always try to find some inspiring words to share with clients to help make the start of the new year a little easier, less intimidating, and more encouraging. This year, I didn't have to work hard to find those words.

Late last week, a friend of mine posted a picture on Facebook of our 5th grade class, all 6 of us, from our small private elementary school in Pittsburgh. Fortunately, we have stayed in touch with each other and several of our teachers. It was wonderful to see all of us commenting on the photo- my classmates and my 2nd, 4th, and 5th grade teachers. To be honest, reconnecting with everyone was fantastic. In fact, it was the highlight of my week.

As high school families know, life is busy, very busy. It is so easy for all of us to get swept up in our school and work routines, sports practices, and extracurricular club meetings that we forget, quickly and easily, what really matters.

Over time, classes will change and so will homework assignments. Jobs and job assignments will come and go too. What can remain if we are committed enough to making sure it remains is our community. The word "community" is loosely defined, but to me, community is the group we build of people in our lives who we hold dear- family, friends, neighbors, classmates, coaches, mentors, etc.

Many times when students start off the school year, we remind them to work hard. Yes, they should work hard, but not just at getting good grades. It is just as important and perhaps more important to make sure that students understand the value early on of working hard to build a life and not just a career. The time and energy invested in building or repairing a valued relationship is priceless as that relationship has the potential to inspire and nourish us indefinitely. Without a community, the distance that we can go in our academic and professional careers is limited at best.

There will always be classes to enroll in, papers to write, and books to read.  As students begin a new school year, my hope for them, and for all of us, is to remember that the best things in life are not graded and cannot be bought or easily replaced.

I am the first student on the left.
 
Good luck and best wishes to all of our clients and colleagues for a successful and fulfilling school year!

Warm Regards,

Mindy Popp
Founder and Principal Consultant 
News for High School Families

News concept  Painted multicolor text News on White Brick wall background with Scheme Of Hand Drawn News Icons, 3d render

P&A keeps families in the loop on important news relating to college admission, financial aid and other topics of interest for high school students and parents. Check out these articles featured in our social media in August: 

Looking Ahead: Fall College Fairs
 
Fall college fairs will be starting soon! Students and parents are encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities to explore numerous schools
and learn more about the admission process firsthand from college representatives.

In addition, seniors should also make an effort to connect with admission officers who visit high schools in the fall. For more information about college visits at your high school, please see your school counselor.  
NEACAC (New England Association for College Admission Counseling) hosts college fairs throughout New England. Visit this website for the Fall 2016 schedule. Please note that college fairs begin in September.      



on October 5 at Waltham High School. Many colleges located throughout the US will be in attendance.



Campus Pride will host a college fair on October 14 for LGBTQ and ally students and families at the State House in Boston.



All fairs are free and open to the public.
Please visit P&A News and Events to find more upcoming events in your local area. 
Website Pick of the Month


As students prepare to start a new school year, we recommend purchasing a copy of Keys for Writers.
We have used this excellent grammar guide many times when working with clients on college essays, and it never fails us! This book will be invaluable for writers of all ages for years to come.
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